World Cup ref denied entry to the US was about to make history for Somalia
The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami and subsequently cut from the tournament by FIFA was set to make history for his country. Omar Artan was going to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup aft
The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States after arriving in Miami and subsequently cut from the tournament by FIFA was set to make history for his country. Omar Artan was going to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making FIFAโs final list for the tournament, which was announced two months ago. He is one of Africaโs top referees and was named the continentโs best male referee in 2025. He was denied entry at Miami International Airport on Saturday over โvetting concerns,โ U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement without giving details of those concerns. FRANCE 24's Shirli Sitbon tells us more.
This report comes from France 24. The story centres on World Cup ref denied entry to the US was about to make history for Somalia. Full coverage and background context is available at the original source. Readers seeking more detail on this developing topic are encouraged to follow updates from France 24 and related outlets covering this beat.

